Tile cutter



Mach 18, 1952 1 LENARDuzzl TILE CUTTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed May 16, 1949 INVENTOR. LINO LENARDUZZI L. LENARDuzzl March 18, 1952 TILE CUTTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 16, 1949 INVENTOR. Lmo I ENARouzzl Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PAT ENT; FFI CE i TILE CUTTER'v` Lino Lenarduzzi, Washington, D.-C.`

Application-May V1I?, 1949, Serial No."93,551

6 Claims.l (C1. 125-23) My invention relates to?v tile cutters-and more particularly to tileecutters which are'handv ollerated.

Oneobject of my-invention is to provide a tile cutter-whichI willV score and breaka tile' with one setting of the gauge.

Another object ofVA myvinvention `isto provide` a tile cutter which can be carried in thehand or pocket lfor use wherever desired.

A further objectof. myinventionis torprovide a tile cutter which scoresl the tile by moving across the stationary tile.

A still further'object vof my inventionis to providea tile cutter which requires no special base for-supporting the tile `tobe cut.

Another'objectof my invention is to provide a tile cutter which gauges its scoring from the edge of the scored tile.`

A further object of my invention is to provide a tile cutter gauge'which'gauges the scoring and the breaking operation with' a single adjustment.

Other objects and advantages willin part be apparent and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Iny the accompanying drawings in which are shown the preferred embodiments of my inven,

tion. r

Figure 1 is a iront elevation of my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the invention in in closed position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invention in scoring position;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the invention inf'breaking position; l

Figure 5 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of the cutter support and cutter; and

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective View of the gauge.

Now referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals referto like partsthroughout the several:gures, the reference `numeral I0 indicates generally the body lof myv tile cutter. Thev body! I0 comprisesy a handle portionII at one end thereof and a head portion I21atthe other end. thereof..` The head portion I2 is formed inan inverted L-shaped so that Vwith the upper portion of the bodylo; a U-shapedv opening :I3 is provided. A threaded shaft I4 is arranged in threaded engagement with the head portion I2 'and projects downwardly theree through. The threaded shaft I4 is provided at its lupper end with a knurled head I5 andis further provided with a locking jam nut I5 to pre-- vent the threaded shaft I4.' from movingfrom its adjusted position; The lower end of said threaded shaft# fl 4? is provided withfan arcuate'-l plate I1 which is pivotally secured tothe shaft I 4.

The body I0 is further-provided with a handle I8 which is pivotallymounted to the body Il! by means of pivot pin I9'. The upper endof handle I8 is formed asa cam 20:` A breakerbar 2lA is positionedfor reciprocationwithin the body` Iand the upperV end thereof extends'upwardly through the body Illinto the U-shaped `open-n ing I3. The breaker barll'is spring biased to=V ward the cam 20 by means of va spring 22 which engages the under sidefof :the body I0 anda shoulder 23'on the'breaker. bar 2 I. bar 2l is 'beveled' fromfboth sides at itsy top to form a single engagement line 24'. The handle I8 is arranged with relation to thel handle II so that when the hand grips the two handles and draws them'togethenthe cam surface 20 presses the breaker bar 2I'up intortheVU-shaped open-` ing I 3 toward the arcuate lplate I'I.

The body Ihas a combined cutterfsupport and gauge clamp 25 secured thereto by meansof a stud lbolt 28so that the cutter support and gauge clamp 25- extends outwardly from the body I i) below the U-shaped opening I3'.- The combined cutter support and-gauge clamp 25 consists of a plate 21' havingva stud bolt opening 28 through which the studbolt 26V passes toclamp the plateV 2'I-to the body I0.. A U-shaped clamp member 29 extends at right angles to the plate 2'I;k Onev end of the U-shaped clamp 29 is provided with a Ibolt 30 having a head 3I'and a knurled handdriven nut 32 by means' of which the U-shaped clamp 29 is drawn into clamping positions' The.

A cutter block 35 is secured in position in the f channel member 33'=bv means of the-stud .bolt

34. The cutter block 35'is -bifurcated at its'outer' end 36 and has a single rotary cutter blade 3'1 pivotally mounted therein by means. of pivot pin 38... A modified form of cutter is disclosed in Figure 5 Awherein the cutter .39 is provided with a turret 40 pivotally mounted tothe cutter block 39 by means of pivotpin 4I. A series of rotary cutter blades 42 are'mounted to the turret 40 vso that by rotation' of the turret 40, Vany one of the blades 42may 'be presented to thev work. A gauge bar 43 is pivotally mounted between the 'sides of the U-shaped clamp 25; by: means of pivot :pinfv 44.- The gauge "bar143 may: be pivoted The breakerl about the pivot pin 44 to a rest position illustrated in Figure 2 or a work position illustrated in Figure 1. When in the work position illustrated in Figure 1, the gauge bar 43 may be clamped in position by tightening the nut 32 to draw the sides of the U-shaped clamp 25 together.

A rule 45 is mounted to the gauge bar 43 by means of a screw 46. The rule 45 is slotted at 41 to permit the rule 45 to be adjusted with respect to the gauge bar 43 to compensate for wear.

A sliding gauge indicated generally by the reference numeral 48 is mounted on the gauge bar 43 and rule 45. The sliding gauge 48 comprises a C-shaped member 49 provided with a pair of openings I) in the base thereof. `AY stud plate 5I is positioned inside the O-shaped member 49, and is provided with a pair of stud receiving threaded openings 52 which are aligned with the openings 59'when the stud plate 5I isY within'the C-shaped member 49. A clamp plate 53 is provided with a pair of depending end p0rtions 54 which are adapted to engage over the ends of the'stud plate 5I so that the central portion of the clamp plate 53 completely overlies the stud plate 5 I. A stud bolt 55 is provided with a knurled head 5G. The stud bolt 55 is inserted through one of the openings 50 in the C-shaped member 49 .and is threaded through the stud plate 5| so that the clamp plate 53 may be separated from the stud plate 5I by inwardly screwing the stud bolt 55. A gauge bracket 51 is formed with a depending end 58 which is adapted toY engage over the C-shaped member 49. The base portion 59 is provided with a stud receiving opening 60 which is adapted to align with one of the openings 50 of the C-shaped member 49. The side 6| opposite depending end 58 is offset at 6I and the outer end thereof is formed into aclosed threaded loop 62. 4

An adjustable tile engaging screw 63 is threaded into the loop 62 and is further provided with a locking jam nut 64 to retain the' screw l63 in adjusted position.

TA stud bolt 65 is provided at its outer end with a gauge wheel 66 and is adapted to receive a threaded spacing sleeve 61 between the wheel 65 and its inner end. A locking jam nut 68 is positioned'on the stud bolt 65 next to the threaded sleeve `61. The inner end of the stud bolt 65 is inserted through the opening 'of thev gauge bracket 51, through one of the openings 50 of the C-shaped member 49 and into one of the threaded openings 52 in stud plate 5I. This arrangement clamps the gauge bracket 51 to the C-shaped member 49. s

'I'he G-shaped member 49 is adapted to be po- Prior to my invention, no hand tool had been available to tile setters which would permit the cutting of tile without using a variety of operations on cumbersome heavy equipment. My invention will permit tile Setters to score and break tile using'no further support than their knee' and without resort to equipment which requires a heavy base support.

`In the use and operation of myinventionthe 5 The tool is then drawn across the tile T so that the tile T is scored for the complete extent of the break desired, all as illustrated in Figure 3. The arcuate plate I1 is then adjusted for the thickness of the tile T and the tile T is inserted in the U-shaped opening I3 of the body I0 with the scored surface toward the arcuate plate I1 and the edge of the tile T in engagement with the screw 63. Pressure'is then applied to the handles Il and I8 and the breaker bar 2l is moved against the under side of the Vtile T and by upward pressure the tile T is caused to break along the score line. The gauge 48 is adjusted onlyonce for the scoring and breaking operation and need not be readjusted until a diiierent sized cut is desired.

Curved base and" head tile's may be just as readily cut by my tool as the ordinary flat wall tiles.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be understoodr that I may resort to design changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A tile scoring and breaking tool comprising a body member having a head secured to the body member in such a manner as to provide a U-shaped opening between the head and the body, a handle member pivotally secured to the body and provided at its upper end with a cam element, a breaker bar supported in said body for endwise reciprocating movement and adapted to be moved toward said head by said cam, spring means normally biasing said breaker bar toward said cam, an adjustable support for tile to be 0 broken comprising an arcuate plate curved to- Ward said breaker bar, a screw shaft threaded supported through said head, said support being pivotally connected to the lower end of said screw shaft, a combined cutter support and gauge clamp secured to said body below said U-shaped opening, a rotary cutter blade mounted in said cutter support and gauge clamp, a gauge rule pivotally supported in said cutter support and gauge clamp and adapted to be secured in operating position by means of said clamp, a combined cutter and breaker gauge including a U-shaped rule engaging portion, -a clamp member supported by said U-shaped portion and adapted to cooperate therewith to clamp said U-shaped portion to said 5'5 rule, means for operating said clamp, meansV on said gauge for engaging the tile during scoring and means on said gauge forV engaging the tile during breaking.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the 6o means for engaging the tile during scoring comprises a rotary wheel like element and the means for engaging the tile during breaking comprises an element'adjustable to compensate for wear.

3. A hand tool for tile scoring and breaking comprising a body having a head portion, a handle portion integral with the body and extending cppositely from said head portion, a second hanldle pivotally secured to said body and extending at an angle to said handle portion and adapted 70 to be swung on its pivot toward and away from said handle portion, means for scoring a tile comprising a rotatable scoring blade journalled to the body, means actuated by movement of said second handle and attached to said body for breaking a tile, and a single gauge means attachedto the 5 body for 'guiding the scoring operation and for contacting the tile to position the tile for breaking.

4. A hand tool for tile scoring and breakingY comprising a body having a head portion, a handle portion integral with the body and extending oppositely from said head portion, a second handle pivotally secured to said body and extending at an angle to said handle portion and adapted to be swung on its pivot toward and away from said handle portion, means attached to the body for scoring a tile, means for breaking a tile comprising a cam-driven, reciprocating breaker bar which is adapted to press against the tile on the surface opposite the score, said breaking means being activated by movement of said seeond handle and being attached to said body, and a single gauge means attached to the body for guiding the scoring operation and for contacting the tile to position the tile for breaking.

5. A hand tool for tile scoring and breaking comprising a body having a head portion, a handle portion integral with the body and extending oppositely from said head portion, a second handle pivotally secured to said body and extending at an angle to said handle portion and adapted to be swung on its pivot toward and away from said handle portion, means attached to the body for scoring a tile, means actuated by movement of said second handle and attached to said body for breaking a tile, and a single gauge means attached to the body for guiding the scoring operation and for contacting the tile to position the tile for breaking, said gauge means being provided with an anti-friction guide element for contacting the edge of the tile during scoring and being further provided with an adjustable positioning element for contacting the tile during the breaking operation.

6. A hand tool for tile scoring and breaking comprising a body having a head portion, a handle portion integral with the body and extending oppositely from said head portion, a second handle pivotally secured to said body and extending at an angle to said handle portion and adapted to be swung on its pivot toward and away from said handle portion, means attached to said body for scoring a tile, means actuated by movement of second handle and attached to said body for breaking a tile, a single gauge means attached to the body for guiding the scoring operation and for contacting the tile to position the tile for breaking, said gauge means comprising a scale pivotally secured tothe body of the tool whereby the scale may be positioned at a right angle to the handle portion for normal use and swung to a position parallel to the handle portion for storage. and a gauge member slidable on said scale and including a contacting element for guiding the scoring operation and a second contacting element for positioning the tile for breaking.

LINO LENARDUZZI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,796 Aitchison Oct. 27, 1931 1,873,721 Postley Aug. 23, 1932 1,932,659 Granite Oct. 31, 1933 1,994,420 Persson Mar. 12, 1935 1,995,741 Granite Mar. 26, 1935 2,205,717 Fedon June 25, 1940 2,272,160 Driver Feb. 3, 1942 

